|
|
||||||||
-Mediated Macrophage Killing1



* Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011;
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201;
Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267; and
Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242
The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilms and cause chronic infections in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients is well documented. Numerous studies have revealed that P. aeruginosa biofilms are highly refractory to antibiotics. However, dramatically fewer studies have addressed P. aeruginosa biofilm resistance to the hosts immune system. In planktonic, unattached (nonbiofilm) P. aeruginosa, the exopolysaccharide alginate provides protection against a variety of host factors yet the role of alginate in protection of biofilm bacteria is unclear. To address this issue, we tested wild-type strains PAO1, PA14, the mucoid cystic fibrosis isolate, FRD1 (mucA22+), and the respective isogenic mutants which lacked the ability to produce alginate, for their susceptibility to human leukocytes in the presence and absence of IFN-
. Human leukocytes, in the presence of recombinant human IFN-
, killed biofilm bacteria lacking alginate after a 4-h challenge at 37°C. Bacterial killing was dependent on the presence of IFN-
. Killing of the alginate-negative biofilm bacteria was mediated through mononuclear cell phagocytosis since treatment with cytochalasin B, which prevents actin polymerization, inhibited leukocyte-specific bacterial killing. By direct microscopic observation, phagocytosis of alginate-negative biofilm bacteria was significantly increased in the presence of IFN-
vs all other treatments. Addition of exogenous, purified alginate to the alginate-negative biofilms restored resistance to human leukocyte killing. Our results suggest that although alginate may not play a significant role in bacterial attachment, biofilm development, and formation, it may play an important role in protecting mucoid P. aeruginosa biofilm bacteria from the human immune system.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
J. G. Leid, M. Kerr, C. Selgado, C. Johnson, G. Moreno, A. Smith, M. E. Shirtliff, G. A. O'Toole, and E. K. Cope Flagellum-Mediated Biofilm Defense Mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa against Host-Derived Lactoferrin Infect. Immun., October 1, 2009; 77(10): 4559 - 4566. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Malic, K. E. Hill, A. Hayes, S. L. Percival, D. W. Thomas, and D. W. Williams Detection and identification of specific bacteria in wound biofilms using peptide nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) Microbiology, August 1, 2009; 155(8): 2603 - 2611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Behlau and M. S. Gilmore Microbial Biofilms in Ophthalmology and Infectious Disease Arch Ophthalmol, November 1, 2008; 126(11): 1572 - 1581. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. J. Waine, D. Honeybourne, E. G. Smith, J. L. Whitehouse, and C. G. Dowson Association between Hypermutator Phenotype, Clinical Variables, Mucoid Phenotype, and Antimicrobial Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa J. Clin. Microbiol., October 1, 2008; 46(10): 3491 - 3493. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. J. Moraes, R. Martin, J. D. Plumb, E. Vachon, C. M. Cameron, A. Danesh, D. J. Kelvin, W. Ruf, and G. P. Downey Role of PAR2 in murine pulmonary pseudomonal infection Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, February 1, 2008; 294(2): L368 - L377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Abusriwil and R. A. Stockley The Interaction of Host and Pathogen Factors in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations and Their Role in Tissue Damage Proceedings of the ATS, December 1, 2007; 4(8): 611 - 617. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. A. Schaber, W. J. Triffo, S. J. Suh, J. W. Oliver, M. C. Hastert, J. A. Griswold, M. Auer, A. N. Hamood, and K. P. Rumbaugh Pseudomonas aeruginosa Forms Biofilms in Acute Infection Independent of Cell-to-Cell Signaling Infect. Immun., August 1, 2007; 75(8): 3715 - 3721. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Lee, J. W. Costerton, J. Ravel, R. K. Auerbach, D. M. Wagner, P. Keim, and J. G. Leid Phenotypic and functional characterization of Bacillus anthracis biofilms Microbiology, June 1, 2007; 153(6): 1693 - 1701. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Chandra, T. S. McCormick, Y. Imamura, P. K. Mukherjee, and M. A. Ghannoum Interaction of Candida albicans with Adherent Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Increases C. albicans Biofilm Formation and Results in Differential Expression of Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines Infect. Immun., May 1, 2007; 75(5): 2612 - 2620. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. A. Kivistik, M. Putrins, K. Puvi, H. Ilves, M. Kivisaar, and R. Horak The ColRS Two-Component System Regulates Membrane Functions and Protects Pseudomonas putida against Phenol J. Bacteriol., December 1, 2006; 188(23): 8109 - 8117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. Cerca, K. K. Jefferson, R. Oliveira, G. B. Pier, and J. Azeredo Comparative Antibody-Mediated Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus epidermidis Cells Grown in a Biofilm or in the Planktonic State. Infect. Immun., August 1, 2006; 74(8): 4849 - 4855. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |